Qatar, Uzbekistan celebrate shared Islamic heritage and Islamic Civilization Centre in Tashkent

Qatar’s Minister of State and Qatar National Library President Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Kawari, Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Qatar Ashraf Khojaev highlighted the two countries’ shared Islamic heritage and cultural ties at an event on Thursday.Qatar’s Minister of State and Qatar National Library President Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Kawari welcomed Uzbekistan establishing an Islamic Civilization Center in Tashkent, highlighting the historical contributions of Uzbekistan and Central Asia to Muslim civilisation.Speaking to Doha News at an event on Uzbekistan and Qatar’s shared Islamic heritage and cultural ties, organised by the Uzbek embassy at the Diplomatic Institute of Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Al-Kawari described the Islamic Civilization Centre in Tashkent as a project that would benefit the international community.“I think it is a very great initiative from the Republic of Uzbekistan to establish the Islamic Civilization Center, and this is not just serving Uzbekistan’s culture, but it is serving the international community in general because it will highlight the important role that Muslim culture played in the world,” he said.The Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan, located in Tashkent, officially opened on 17 March 2026. Source: Islamic Civilization Centre in UzbekistanIts complex includes a museum, library and research facilities, with exhibitions spanning pre-Islamic history and the Islamic Golden Age.Qatar’s Minister of State Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Kawari described Uzbekistan and Central Asia as important centres of Islamic civilisation, whose historical contributions received less international recognition during the Soviet era.He also highlighted Qatar’s role in cultural diplomacy, citing institutions including Katara Cultural Village, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art and Qatar National Library, which contribute to cultural life locally, regionally and internationally.Speaking to Doha News at the same event, Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Qatar, Ashraf Khodjaev, said that Uzbekistan and Qatar share a rich Islamic heritage that continues to connect their cultures and regions.“You know, actually, when we are talking about Islamic civilization, first of all, we should always remember that Islamic civilisation, it is our [Qatar and Uzbekistan] common heritage,” said Ambassador Khodjaev.Ambassador highlighted the contributions of prominent scholars from Uzbekistan, including Imam al-Bukhari, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi and Abu Rayhan al-Biruni.The Uzbek Ambassador said their contributions to science and culture extended beyond Uzbekistan and Central Asia, linking the region with the Middle East, including Qatar.Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Qatar, Ashraf Khodjaev, said preserving this shared heritage was about more than remembering history, stressing the importance of passing its lessons on to younger generations.“[It sends] a clear message to the next generations, to the youngsters, that this heritage is something that they should always remember and take into consideration when they do their modern work today,” he said.Khodjaev added that this philosophy was behind Uzbek President Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev’s idea to establish a Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan to preserve the heritage and pass it on to future generations.